This chapter in the text was entitled Constructing Meaning and it included sections on Modernism and Postmodernism. While taking Graphic Design History last fall, I discovered that I love the American Modernist Movement. So, why not?
This is a poster designed by Paul Rand, an iconic American graphic designer in the modern style. I found this poster on the MoMA website www.moma.com. He has an amazing body of work from posters to corporate branding to packaging to books. His website is www.paul-rand.com. This particular piece was commissioned in 1947 to advertise the NY subway system. It attracted me because of the use of simple shapes, bright colors, asymmetric balance, and its overall happy effect. Since the composition was designed in 1947 to advertise the NY subway system, I would guess it was designed to appeal to a broad audience to entice them to use the subway.
The artwork in this poster is made from overlapping circular and rectangular brush strokes in primary red, blue, and yellow, with green of a similar value (brightness) and black (smile and nose). The shapes create a stick figure of a human. The angled text is serif, all lower case in black. The axis of the poster is tilted from lower left to upper right. The logo is placed beneath the text 24 hours a day they never miss. This piece is unified and balanced by color, shape, texture, and repetition. The angles, colors, and sizes of the text boxes, and head also provide balance.
The style of the piece is typical of Paul Rand who was the pioneer of the New York School. His style was unique and distinctive portraying humor and straightforwardness. He made use of many of the modernist techniques such as collage, tilted axes, typesetting, print setting, and other techniques that changed the look of graphic design. He strongly believed that the audience should be an active participant in advertising - not just a passive onlooker - that the audience should make an intellectual connection between the artwork and the ideas being presented. Intelligence should be awakened; the audience should invest, think.
To quote Rand, "To design is to add value and meaning, to illuminate, to simplify, to clarify, to modify, to dramatize, to persuade, and perhaps to amuse. To design is to transform prose into poetry."
This is interesting. I have used the New York subways, they are not so interesting. The New Yorker's also know when you are new to it as well. The design is fun and friendly. This give you the idea that the subway is a friendly place, nice concept. I did not see the subway in that friendly way, but it does get you from place to place without to much hassle.My thought is how do you handle a client situation when they want a certain look or style that just isn't them?
ReplyDeleteThis is a really fun image. The colors and the shapes are both very cheerful. I didn't really get the connection to subways, though; if it hadn't been for the text I would have assumed it was advertising something for children.
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